The pragmatic approach to the environmental, economical, social and legislative challenges of the energy transition

Project facts

Project promoter:
Bankwatch Romania Association(RO)
Project Number:
RO-ACTIVECITIZENS-0072
Status:
In implementation
Initial project cost:
€244,002
Other Project Partners
Association 2Celsius(RO)
Programme:

More information

Description

Following the Paris Agreement and the EU Green Deal, Romania''s energy transition becomes inevitable. However, the lack of commitment of central authorities regarding this transition creates a need for debate in the public sphere on how Romania will implement this transition. The debates and the published analyses of this project will have the role to cover this gap and to determine the Romanian public authorities to assume more ambitious environmental targets. The relevant public authorities and ministries will be provided with good practice recommendations collected from countries that have gone through similar processes. In the context of the energy transition, Romania faces a lack of vision regarding the socio-economic future of the main lignite mining region - Gorj county. The massive layoffs, the Oltenia Energy Complex has to make every year, will have negative effects throughout the county if the local and central authorities do not agree with the other relevant actors on a strategy for the transition of the region. Our role is to bring all relevant actors to the same table so that together they can find beneficial solutions for all stakeholders. In order to increase the interest for this region and its problems, we will contribute to its visibility in the national media. The legal challenges that the Romanian lignite mines and power plants are faced with have a significant negative impact on the health of the communities in the regions in which they operate. Two thermal power plants, Govora and Mintia, operate at this moment without an integrated environmental authorization. They are located near Natura 2000 sites, and an adequate environmental assessment of the sites has not been performed so far. In this context we will ensure that environmental law is respected by the operators of the power plants and quarries in Romania. Moreover, we will train 20 young lawyers to practice environmental law.

Information on the projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is provided by the Programme and Fund Operators in the Beneficiary States, who are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of this information.